True believer - Nicholas Sparks [40]
“Deputy Hopper,” he corrected.
“Sorry,” Jeremy said. “Have I done something wrong, Officer?”
“I don’t know,” Hopper said. “Have you?”
“Not that I know of.”
Deputy Hopper moved the toothpick again. “You planning to stick around for a while?”
“Just for a week or so. I’m here to write an article—”
“I know why you’re here,” Hopper interrupted. “I just thought I’d check it out myself. I like to visit with strangers who are planning to hang around for a while.”
He put the emphasis on the word “stranger,” making Jeremy feel it was some sort of crime. He wasn’t quite sure that any response would diffuse the hostility, so he fell back on the obvious.
“Ah,” he said.
“I hear you intend to spend a lot of time at the library.”
“Well . . . I guess I might—”
“Mmm,” the deputy rumbled, cutting him off again.
Jeremy reached for his coffee cup and took a sip, buying time. “I’m sorry, Deputy Hopper, but I’m not exactly sure what’s going on here.”
“Mmm,” Hopper said again.
“Now, you’re not hassling our guest, are you, Rodney?” the mayor called out from across the room. “He’s a special visitor, here to drum up interest in the local folklore.”
Deputy Hopper didn’t flinch or turn his gaze away from Jeremy. For whatever reason, he looked downright angry. “Just visiting with him, Mayor.”
“Well, let the man enjoy his breakfast,” Gherkin chided, moving toward the table. He waved a hand. “Come on over here, Jeremy. I’ve got a couple of people I’d like you to meet.”
Deputy Hopper scowled as Jeremy rose from the table and made his way toward Mayor Gherkin.
When he was close, the mayor introduced him to two people; one was the almost emaciated county lawyer, the other a heavyset physician who worked at the local medical clinic. Both seemed to evaluate him in the same way that Deputy Hopper had. Reserving judgment, as they say. Meanwhile, the mayor was going on about how exciting Jeremy’s visit was for the town. Leaning toward the other two, he nodded conspiratorially.
“Might even end up on Primetime Live,” he whispered.
“Really?” the lawyer said. Jeremy figured the guy could easily pass for a skeleton.
Jeremy shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Well, as I was trying to explain to the mayor yesterday—”
Mayor Gherkin slapped him on the back, cutting him off.
“Very exciting,” Mayor Gherkin added. “Major television exposure.”
The others nodded, their faces solemn.
“And speaking of the town,” the mayor suddenly added, “I’d like to invite you to a little get-together dinner this evening with a few close friends. Nothing too extravagant, of course, but since you’ll be here for a few days, I’d like to give you the chance to get to know some of the folks around here.”
Jeremy held up his hands. “That’s not really necessary . . .”
“Nonsense,” Mayor Gherkin said. “It’s the least we can do. And, remember, some of these people I’m inviting have seen those ghosts, and you’ll have the chance to pick their collective brains. Their stories might even give you nightmares.”
He raised his eyebrows; the lawyer and the physician waited expectantly. When Jeremy hesitated, it was all the mayor needed to conclude.
“Say about seven o’clock?” he said.
“Yeah . . . sure. I guess that’s fine,” Jeremy agreed. “Where’s the dinner going to be?”
“I’ll let you know a little later. I assume you’ll be at the library, right?”
“Probably.”
The mayor raised his eyebrows. “So I take it you’ve already met our fine librarian, Miss Lexie?”
“I have, yes.”
“She’s quite impressive, isn’t she?”
There was just a hint of other possibilities in the way he phrased it, something akin to locker-room talk.
“She’s been very helpful,” Jeremy said.
The lawyer and the physician smiled, but before the conversation went any further, Rachel came slithering by, just a little too close. Holding a plate, she nudged Jeremy.
“Come on, darlin’. I’ve got your breakfast right here.”
Jeremy glanced at the mayor.
“By all means,” Mayor Gherkin said, waving his hands.
Jeremy followed her back to the table. Thankfully, Deputy Hopper was gone by then, and Jeremy slid back